Marianne

Think these are reproductions, some fore sale, others official (?)

Laetitia Casta Marianne of France

Marianne for the 21. Century



	For the first time in French history there was an nationwide vote for the new Marianne for the 21 century. With the initiative of the Association of the Mayors of France (AMF). The Majors should choose from a number of famous French women. According to AMF spokeswoman Catherine Doumas, "We didn't know what to expect when we initiated this campaign for a 21st century Marianne. The overwhelming response we got is a sign of how impassioned French citizens and officials are about the Republic and its representations." Indeed, under the auspices of the AMF, thousands (36000) of mayors came together from all over the country to vote. "The first vote brought us down to five runner-ups," says Doumas. In the second vote a winner was selected. And the winner was: Laetitia Casta


	At the beginning of the selection, no one new who would be the new Marianne. One of the candidates, the model Estelle Halliday was the favourite. After the first selection there were five candidates left: Estelle, Patricia Kaas (singer), Nathalie Simon (former French wind-surfing champion), Daniela Lumbroso, ( journalist and TV producer) , and Laetitia Casta. In the last selection Laetitia Casta was far in front of her competitions.

	Paris 23 November 1999
			"To represent France, liberty and a certain idea of what a woman is -- that's a hell of a responsibility." (Laetitia Casta after the selection)
*New* Added July 2005				This row, all pictures provided by: Michael Riely. Thanks

	New	New	A video 4Mb

Making of the bust.

France chose Laetitia Casta to be the model of Marianne of the year 2000, whose sculpture was created by the artist Marie-Paule Deville-Chabrolle and was presented for the first time in November 1999, with the 82ème Congress of the Mayors of France. They couldn't have chose better!

Take a look at the MP D-Chabrolle's web site:

http://www.deville-chabrolle.com/html/presse/art7.html



Here, Marie-Paule Deville-Chabrolle, concentrates on the last finish of the bust that Laetitia stands model fore, in the last picture she has left for dinner...

And the result comes here...

Laetitia was not the first known Marianne, before her Brigitte Bardot in 1968, Mireille Mathieux in 1978 and Catherine Deneuve 1985.

Until 1969, Marianne were beautiful, but anonymous. It was Brigitte Bardot who made capsize the heart of all and that of the Mayors, in particular. Today Marianne is more beautiful than ever...

Click on her name to visit a B. Bardot website.		Mireille Mathieux			Click on her name to visit a C. Deneuve website.
Brigitte Bardot					Catherine Deneuve

	From Brigitte Bardot
	"Laetitia is beautiful inside and radiant outside," praised former Marianne inspiration actress Brigitte Bardot. "She is pure, open, and natural. There is no advice that I can give her; she has her own life under control. The most important thing is not to become a star, but to remain one! This I wish for her with all my heart."

The original Marianne


	And what's Marianne Marianne is present everywhere in France and holds a place of honor in town halls and law courts. She symbolizes the "Triumph of the Republic", a bronze sculpture overlooking Place de la Nation in Paris. Her profile stands out on the official seal of the country. It is engraved on coins and drawn on stamps and banknotes. Marianne is considered as the most prominent depiction of the French Republic. But who is this women, presented, by the artist Daumier, as a mother nursing two children, or, by the sculptor Rude, as an angry warrior voicing the Marseillaise on the Arc de Triomphe, or, by the painter Delacroix, as representing Liberty leading the people on the barricades, and where does she come from? One thing is certain. Her image never leaves the French indifferent. In the last two wars, certain people worshipped her just like a saint. Others, who were anti-Republican, often dragged the mud.

A New government logo

Bleu-white-red, Marianne, Liberté-Egalité-Fraternité, the Republic: these powerful symbols represent France and its values. They have now been combined in a new "identifier" created by the French government.

Blue: symbol of the monarchy, White: Color of Paris, Red: symbolizing the blood poured during the French revolution.






			8 mars 2000, at 11h30 Catherine Trautmann, the French culture minister had a meeting with Laetitia.
	?


		History of Marianne.
	According to the story, it appears that in 1797 when seeking a pleasant name of the Republic, Barras, one of the members of the Directoire, during an evening spent at Reubell's, asked his hostess's name; "Marie-Anne," she replied. "Perfect," Barras exclaimed. "It is a short and simple name which befits the Republic just as much as yourself, Madame." This anecdote contradicts a recent discovery which established that the fist written mention of the name of Marianne to designate the Republic appeared in October 1792 in Puylaurens in the Tarn department near Toulouse. At that time, people used to sing a song in the Provencal dialect by the poet Guillaume Lavabre: "La guérison de Marianne" (Marianne's recovery) At that time the account made of their exploits by the Revolutionaries often contained a reference to a certain Marianne wearing a Phrygian cap (or Marie-Anne, a popular name in the French countryside then). This pretty girl aroused the "sans-culottes" and looked after those wounded in the many battles and clashes across the country. Today, Marianne remains as attractive as ever.

Let's go back to Marianne of the 21 century.



							Big pictures, taken 2000.
							This are pictures associated with the selection of Laetitia as the new Marianne
	From Spanish Hola magazine 22 Decembers 1999, big pictures.